—for Clare

When I said I got stressed
hearing about your stress
I was just trying to be clever
in the way that saying thank you
for saying thank you for saying thank you
offers a short stack of gratitude
without the syrup
I didn’t imagine that
you might get stressed
at causing me stress
and feel the need to apologize
for dumping your personal burdens onto me
since that’s not how I saw it at all
having listened the way a friend listens
which is a certain kind of listening
that can’t turn too serious
because then no one would
ever order pancakes

Bio: Jack Cooper